eufactcheck - european journalism training association

WWW.EJTA.EU

The fact-checking project of EJTA

WJEC5, Paris, July 11th 2019

EUFACTCHECK

EUfactcheck WJEC5 Paris 11/7/2019 2

This is EUfactcheck!


Fact

DIDACTIC PROJECT:

EUfactcheck is the fact-checking project of EJTA that builds a

sustainable curriculum unit on fact-checking within a pan-

European network of Journalism schools.

Before and during the EP elections 2019, we publish fact-

checks and blogposts on www.eufactcheck.eu to train our

students of Journalism in a common methodology.


Main goals

http://www.eufactcheck.eu/

MISINFORMATION:

Through factchecking European political claims and

trying to tackle misinformation, we want our students and

our public to grow a deeper insight and interest in

democratic processes, both on national and European

level.

EUfactcheck wishes to motivate fact-based debate in

the EU and to stimulate media and information literacy.


Main goals


Background


Project management

• Different teams and workflows

• Publication schedule: different tracks for participants


Project management

Project communication: Slack / different channels


Project management

• Google Drive: resources for staff and students:

o Formats for fact-checks and blogs

o Flowchart and examples

o Info on EU databases

o Styleguide and publication manual

o Inspiring publications

o Archives

o Output reports

• Bootcamp: everybody on the same wavelength to get started


Project management


Project management: BOOTCAMP


Curriculum unit and methodology


Common methodology

1. Analyse the message/claim:

a. Focus on facts (not opinions or predictions)

b. Focus on precise claims (not vague claims)

2. Analyse the sender/source:

a. Focus on the sender (organisation, interests)?

b. Find the original place of publication.

3. Check the facts:

a. Does the original source confirm the claim?

b. Does a second expert confirm the claim?

15

Flowchart: six essentialelements


Flowchart (© Frederik Marain + Wouter Frateur)


The flowchart is a unique tool

• Fixed formats for fact-checks and blog posts

• EU theme

• Political claims from mainstream (social) media

• Categories:


Common methodology


Outcome


www.EUfactcheck.eu


Impact: visitors and visits

Impact: social media


• Media coverage: national and international

• Cooperations: Crosscheck, EDJNet, EUdisinfolab...

• Downloads of flowchart

• Comments from public (comment-box with each FC +

‘Suggest a Fact-check’)


Social impact


Media impact

• Unique project in quantity and quality

• Unity in diversity: common curriculum development in

a diverse Europe

• General theme EU is still a ‘gap’ in J-schools

• Category ‘uncheckable’= very interesting

• Factchecking is a time-consuming but rewarding

process


Lessons learned: staff

• Students develop critical approach towards news

• Students have higher interest and insight in EU

policies and reporting

• Students realise that they do need to think analytically

• Students recognise the importance of context

• Students realise they need to find a concrete source


Lessons learned: students

Testimonials


"In times of information overload, it is good to learn how to

select what is important and what is correct.“

"The project has changed my perception of news. Today, I

always ask for an independent source to back up a claim.“

"It was interesting to see how some politicians construct a

false reality out of correct bits of information.“

"The project has raised my awareness of facts.“

+ CHECK THE BLOG POSTS!

• You need a flexible production team

• Slack= great tool for project communication

• Different roles, different profiles

• Participants need different tracks and approaches

• Time and daily engagement


Lessons learned: project management


Lessons learned: project management

• How much have we changed our students’ attitudes?

• How to make the project permanent/sustainable?

• How to motivate more social media participation?

• Difficult to define claims and assess their relevance

• Development of new, visual formats?

• Cooperation with (national) fact-checking media?

• Crossnational cooperation between students?


Some challenges and reflections


Future

• ‘NEW’ participants welcome

• Manual / Lessons learned: publication in autumn 2019

• Train the Trainer in CEE: February 2020

• With funding from Evens Foundation and CoE


Future


Thank you!

eufactcheck - european journalism training association

Documents